Fleet Disposal Advice

Managing your Fleet with Gates Ford

Business User Information

All businesses owners ideally want to cut costs and raise revenues. When it comes to disposing of your fleet because you are upgrading vehicles or downsizing, it is important to work out how you can ensure the best value. Gates is here to help, and our useful guide on fleet disposal will provide you with the knowledge to get the most out of your fleet.

Get the best prices

Depreciation is the biggest cost of running company vehicles. It is important to make sure you get the best price when it comes to selling a fleet car or van. The process, known as defleeting, needs to be done correctly to boost the profitability of your company.

The defleeting process starts from the moment your vehicles hit the road, and you need to introduce a ‘fair wear and tear’ policy with your drivers. The more your drivers care about your vehicles, the higher the resale value will remain. You need to carry out a thorough inspection of all vehicles when they are returned to head office.

You have several options when it comes to disposing of your fleet, and the type of business you run will determine which is best for you.

Selling you Fleet at Auction

Stress-free and easy to manage, this is one of the most popular options. The auction house you choose will deal with everything from start to finish. All they ask for is a fee based on the final sale price. Many auction houses collect the vehicles from your premises, suggest a reserve price and carry out a valet service. It is important to send your cars to an appropriate location – for example, a compact hatchback will sell well at a city-based auction.

Fleet Part Exchange

You can replace one vehicle in your fleet with another whenever you like. Gates can provide this service for you, as a great way of refreshing your fleet with some of the newest Ford models.

Selling to traders

This is probably the quickest way of disposing of your fleet. It does however mean that you may not always achieve the true value of the vehicle when making the sale.

Competitive Tender

This is a good option for those with a large fleet. Potential buyers can come and view the whole fleet at a location, and you simply accept the highest bid. There is no negotiation stage and no need to split up the vehicles you wish to sell.

Selling to Staff

This option is likely to make you more popular with your employees. Selling to staff is also an easy and quick process, but there are a few issues that can crop up. You need to make sure you offer a warranty or sell through a third party, because you have the same legal obligations as any other vehicle trader. Buyers might also be charged income tax if they are buying for less than the market rate, and this difference is known as Benefit-In-Kind.

Contact Gates Ford whenever you need more advice on de-fleeting. We can also guide you through the range of new Ford commercial vehicles.

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DisclosureWe work with a number of carefully selected credit providers who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. We only offer finance products from these providers: Ford Credit, Blackhorse, Alphera Financial Services, London and Surrey Motor Finance Limited, Creative Funding Solutions and ALD Automotive Limited (trading as Ford Lease).